Thorin Oakenshield at your service Miss Baggins
by softgentle
Summary: Thorin is on a quest to reclaim his homeland but first he needs a burglar and burglars come in many shapes and sizes; and from the most unexpected places. Thorin is about to discover that opening your heart can heal a million wounds. In bag end Thorin meets Bilbo's niece who unintentionally steals his heart. Thorin/OC
1. Chapter 1

Uncle was writing in his study again and I was left bored. I had been reading most of the day but I was bored of reading the same books over and over again. It was driving me barmy! I had never really followed the hobbit ways since uncle Bilbo tried to introduce me to them; being a woman, considerably taller than any hobbit, meant that I had other ways of busying myself. I sat down to write a letter but then suddenly realised I had no one to write to anymore. It has been 6 years and the thought of laketown is still upsetting me.

I still see the face of my mother in my head and often cry when I go to do something and realise I have no need to do it. Uncle Bilbo stopped coddling me after a year or so and he explained to me that once you have expressed your feeling you must continue your life as no one on middle earth would want their family to spend the rest of their lives mourning them.

"I wouldn't want you to be in mourning for me for the rest of your life" he told me.

I had survived on scrubbing and cooking for masters but before I knew it I was penniless and homeless when the guards came and threw me out of the home I shared with my mother. Their argument was that another family was in need of a home and I was expected to move to a smaller house as I was supporting myself. The only issue with that concept was that there were no such available homes in laketown and I found myself leaving with the few belongings I had.

Soon I came to uncle Bilbo who took me in gladly. He accepted my prolonged sadness about mother's death and allowed me to stay with him until I was able to leave and begin a life for myself. At the age of 20 I am now able to live alone but uncle will not have it. Instead he insisted that I stay with him and I took his 'invitation' and I thank him every day for it.

"Uncle?" I called popping my head into his study.

"Yes dear?" He answered, ceasing his actions but not turning around to face me.

"I am going on a walk around the fields again. Would you like anything whilst I'm there?"

"Ohh yes!" uncle replied suddenly jumping to his feet. "Some cabbages, carrots and potatoes from farmer maggot."

"Yes uncle," I say to him. "I'll take the large basket."

"Yes do, do," Uncle tells me, fishing around for some money. "ohh and get a half block of the good strong cheddar from bessy as well."

I run to get the basket and just before I leave uncle is at the door ready with my hat and the money for the food. He is so attentive and treats me as his own. I realised a very long time ago how lucky I was and to this day I still know how much I owe him for his generosity. As I exit the front gate I see Bilbo settle himself on the front bench and then give him my best smile before setting off for the farm.

I did this often because I often got bored of my surroundings and being in the shire and having a small amount of freedom was enough to keep me from going insane. Uncle could spend weeks never leaving the house and during these moments I would be responsible for the pantry, ensuring it was at constant readiness for company despite never having any visitors.

"Good afternoon Victoria!" I turned and found the only hobbit I couldn't stand in the whole shire. Benedict Dickson. He had taken quite a shine to me from the moment that I had arrived in the shire, completely disregarding any kindness or politeness when myself and Uncle Bilbo requested to have some privacy. Benedict and his mother Sally had been convinced that I would marry Benedict when I realised that they owned one of two flour mills in the shire. I couldn't have been more disgusted to be honest.

"Can I help you Ben?" I said enhancing my annoyance in the question.

"Why yes you can," He replied breathlessly. He was quite a big hobbit, proving that food was truly a hobbit's first love. "Please come to dinner tomorrow night. I must tell my mother of our engagement."

I stopped dead in my tracks and stared at Ben right in the eye looking down on him ever so slightly. I was human but I was considerably shorter than most.

"I will never marry you Benedict Dickson!" I yelled at the top of my voice. "You are fat, lazy and only want a wife that can cater for your every need and I will never submit to that. Find yourself another wife because you won't get one out of me."

"I'm the best offer a human like you is ever going to get," Benedict replied changing in stance to a confident one with his arms folded.

"I don't care if you're the _only_ offer I get," I replied with more confidence. "I would reject you every time."

I turned and walked away without looking back. I knew due to his size, he wouldn't be able to catch up with me. I ran the errands for uncle then immediately returned home. I was in no mood to do anything now. When I stepped through the front door uncle called me into the kitchen and I gladly accepted the tea he offered.

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing uncle," I said pausing. "I got your vegetables and cheese."

"Vicky..." Uncle said softly. "Is Benedict Dickson bothering you again?"

"No more than usual," I replied. I decided in the same second that I should tell him what happened on the path when I was walking. "He asked me to dinner with his mother to announce my engagement to him, when I refused to dinner and any kind of attachment he said I was the best offer I was ever going to get."

"That's not true now is it?" Uncle comforted me.

"It just made me wonder if I'm that ugly or unkind or..." I trailed off.

Uncle scolded me gently for thinking such things and we both set about getting dinner ready as it was late afternoon. Fish and chips sounded like good comfort food for the evening I was having. Uncle let me change into my nightgown and then surprised me with my dinner in my bedroom. He never usually allowed this but I think he was trying to cheer me up; as well as trying to encourage me to have an early night.

I loved my uncle dearly and he always knew how to cheer me up. It was late in the evening when I heard a lot of voices shouting. It took me a few moments to wake up fully but I did not realise that there were more individuals in this hole than I thought. I carefully got changed into a small vest type shirt and some shorts I usually wore for hiking through the woods and went off to see what the noise was. My socks were making me slip every few steps and I was cautious of my surroundings because I knew there were other hobbits in the house apart from myself and my uncle.

But they didn't sound like hobbits...

Walking towards the dining room, I found weapon upon weapon, bag upon bag all over the sitting room floor.

"I can't go on an adventure!" I heard uncle cry. "I have a loved one to take care of."

Sensing this was my cue...

"Uncle?" I asked walking into the dining area.

Thorin POV

I heard a young woman's voice behind me calling for her uncle. As I turned around in my seat, along with the rest of the company and I was taken aback by what I saw. I saw a small but young woman standing there with her eyes fixed on her uncle Baggins, clearly confused as to why there were dwarves in her home.

Her hair was shorter than you would typically find on a hobbit and she was thin and every part of her body was in proportion not fat like a hobbit. Was she even a hobbit? Gandalf was the first to speak up and greet her politely.

"Goodness me my dear Bilbo," he exclaimed. "This must be the niece you spoke of. Tis a pleasure to meet you Victoria Baggins, I am known as Gandalf the grey."

"It is a pleasure to meet you Gandalf I have been told stories of your fireworks by my uncle. I have so wished to meet you." She replied so eloquently. Victoria spoke so beautifully and I couldn't take my eyes off her which must have been obvious because Balin tapped my shoulder and whispered "You're staring laddie."

"You are a most polite and pretty young lady," Gandalf told her as he led her to a seat. By chance she was seated next to me and I found it increasingly hard to stop myself from staring upon her beauty again.

"Mr Baggins," I began with a stern voice. "Will this woman be accompanying us on our travels?"

"What travels?" The young hobbit asked. "Uncle, are you leaving?"

"No" Mr Baggins replied simply.

Clearly unsatisfied with the answer she received, she turned to me.

"Where are you going?" She asked me directly and I felt a substantial amount of guilt at this point because I couldn't remember her name. Before I could answer Mr Baggins interrupted.

"Do not ask such questions Victoria. Return to your room please."

"No she shall stay, as will you Mr Baggins." Everyone around the table was clearly surprised at what I had just said but I ignored the looks I was given from everyone including Victoria.

"We are persuading your uncle Bilbo to accompany us on an adventure to the lonely mountain." Gandalf told her.

"Oh I have heard of it!" Victoria exclaimed. "I lived in lake town with my mother some years ago and though I never stepped outside the town, I learnt much about the surrounding areas. Mother would not let me study much about what happened to the mountain and the dragon that attacked it. I continued to discover as the years when on."

"Continue," I encouraged her, I admit I was intrigued. "What do you think happened?"

"Well the books said that the mountain was once a prospering kingdom that lived in harmony alongside the city of dale. Equally peaceful and no conflict ever occurred between them. Dwarves are great miners and they had resided in the mountain for many generations and the line of Durin was secured by umm...oh! A grandfather, a father and a grandson." She spoke very clearly and was feeling no anxiety about speaking in front of so many of us. "The heart of the mountain was found and the king believed he now had the right to rule and expected the greatest leaders in middle earth to pay homage to him. A sickness began to form in the king and he cared only for gold; hours upon hours were spent in the treasury and the grandson watched as his grandfather was taken from them by his greed and love for gold."

Hearing this story did not bother me and I wondered why. Was it that I had heard this tale so many times before? Was it because I already knew all the details? Or was it the speaker?

"Soon a firedrake from the north took to the city of dale and then attacked the mountain causing the dwarves to be cast out. They wondered for days and then took up employment wherever they could in the hope they would one day take back erebor." Victoria finished.

"Incredible"

"Such intelligence"

"I have never seen someone recite the story so well when they weren't actually born at the time of the disaster," I told her. Rising to my feet I bowed to her in respect. "Thorin Oakenshield, at your service Miss Baggins."


	2. Chapter 2

I couldn't quite believe that the king of Erebor was now bowing to me as I just told his story. He held out his hand in motion for me to take it and I allowed him to kiss the back of my hand. He was handsome and I liked how polite and respectful he was but something felt wrong although I could not put my finger on it.

"Present Mr Baggins with the contract," he told the dwarf next to him. I noticed how the king never turned his gaze away from me. I wasn't paying attention to my surroundings and I suddenly I heard a thump and saw my uncle lying on the floor bringing me out of my daze.

"Uncle!" I ran to his side and with the help of Gandalf I got him in his chair by the fire. I didn't make eye contact with the king again and instead I decided to get some air and snuck out the front door quietly. With so many dwarves in the hole I was feeling rather overwhelmed and uncle would be fine once he had woken up. I walked up the hill a little until I was lying on my back directly above the front door.

I heard the door open and I silently turned onto my front, staying out of sight to see who it was. I saw the king look up towards me but he clearly didn't see me because he continued to survey the area around him and stand on the top step with his hands behind him for several minutes. I was still unsure what to call him because to the dwarves he was thorin but to me I suppose he was a king.

"Stop staring," He said suddenly. I thought he was referring to myself but I found he was actually talking to the old dwarf who had given the contract to uncle Bilbo.

"I'm not," The old dwarf replied. "You however, were staring at the hobbit's niece. Polite and beautiful young woman even if I say so myself."

"Is she even a hobbit?"

"I was wondering the same so I asked the wizard and he says she is the daughter of a man. However, she is closely related to hobbits and she has not grown much since she was 15 but she is still considerably taller than hobbits."

"Hmmm"

"Thorin?"

"Hmmm"

"Laddie you cannot be distracted if your true mission is to retake Erebor."

"I'm not distracted nor will I ever be. I simply believe she is a beautiful woman with a good sense of manners."

"Thorin my lad," He sighed. "There is a time when you must take a wife and provide Erebor with an heir but it cannot be now."

"I'm not suggesting I am about to take this young woman as my wife, Balin." Thorin suddenly protested facing his friend. "I am just admitting that perhaps she will fix herself in my memory once we leave. I have never seen such beauty."

"well we need a burglar and if I'm honest Victoria would do a better job than Mr Baggins." Balin replied. "She is considerably lighter in weight and would be less heavy footed as a result."

"Then present her with a contract," Thorin replied. I couldn't believe this. I hadn't ever had anyone say they found me beautiful and I found myself liking the dwarven king a little more because he has said it. I hadn't been on much of an adventure. I had seen some of the world but not as much as I would like because I was not paying attention to the beauty of the middle earth when I was travelling to the shire from laketown. The stories of orcs and other beasts roaming the lands made me surprised that I hadn't been killed on my journey to uncle Bilbo.

Balin nodded his head to Thorin and the two of them headed back inside the hole. When I heard the lock click I relaxed on my back and let out a big breath. Well at least I was going to be given a chance at something outside the shire. I knew I would have to pass through or go incredibly near laketown but I could deal with that so long as I was focusing on the end goal. Thorin was an extremely good looking dwarf, when compared to the others, he was dark haired and considerably thinner. I noticed that he was also taller than the others, similar to me in height.

I was still lying on the roof of the hole when the door opened a second time. At first I heard nothing which made me suspicious of who it could be but then I heard footsteps, tiny hunting footsteps. Louder than they should be; I turned silently and I found thorin once again standing on the front with his hands behind him.

"Make this quick Gandalf," I gasped. "My company need to rest."

"You need him," it was a simple statement but it seemed more like advice. I saw Gandalf's frame emerge from the door and his head reach a reasonable height; I knew I had to move before he turned around and saw me.

"I don't need a shire rat to find the jewel of my people." I suddenly changed my plan and stayed to listen. _Shire rat?! Who does this poncy prince think he is?_

"What about the girl then?" Gandalf pressed.

"I could not risk her safety," Thorin now spoke a little softer. "She's a child." _At the age of 21?!_

"If you let her hear you say that she may scar you," Gandalf said with a chuckle. "let her prove herself to you." _Why should i? Who says I want to? Why would I want-_

"Why play games with my head Gandalf," Thorin turned to him all serious. "I need fighters, we are a small company and we are basically taking a suicide mission. I cannot and will not risk the life of beautiful young woman." _Ugh is this going to be a regular thing?_

"Now we have it," Gandalf said standing up to his full height looking satisfied, or rather smug if I'm honest. Thorin was getting frustrated and the way he had his hands on his hips told me so.

"What?"

"You consider Victoria to be worthy of the title of beautiful."

"What is the issue with that?"

"My dear fellow, when are you going to allow yourself some pleasure in your life?"

"Erebor is my first priority," Thorin stated facing away from me into the distance. "What is yours?"

"My companions" Gandalf replied simply.

I sensed that this was the end of the conversation and made my way slowly down the slope of the door, hiding from view. Once I heard the door open and close I returned to my original spot on top of the door and found that no one was in sight. I let out a big heavy dramatic sigh and let my mind wonder.

Thorin oakenshield was clearly a passionate dwarf that was very clear is what he wanted to achieve. By the sounds of things he clearly hadn't had much involvement with women and probably didn't have any kind of interest regarding marrying and producing heirs. At that very moment there wasn't a kingdom for him to provide heirs for. I knew I would be better suited to their mission than uncle was but it seemed that many of them are more interested in my face than my abilities.

I decided that the night was getting late and that I should be heading back inside to make sure uncle was alright after his fainting fit. I had almost forgotten him. I couldn't stop thinking about what the king had said. He called me beautiful and was clearly ashamed of his thoughts. The dwarven king was obviously trying to stay focused and found that I could be a distraction. That being noted, he still told balin to give me the chance and to present me with a contract; the only questionable topic was if I were to sign it or not.

I retuned inside and found Gandalf giving my uncle a lecture on the ridiculous things he had been detesting since the dwarves set foot inside the door. Grandma Took's glory box, the plates and doilies; all of them unimportant compared to the journey they were about to undertake.

"Miss Baggins!" I turned towards the caller and found myself face-to-face with balin and true to thorin's word he had a contract in his hands.

"The king wishes to offer you a place within the company in replacement of your uncle. Either may accompany us but we need only one. You may decided between yourselves who is to leave and who is to stay. Or if you do not wish for either of you to accompany us you may Inform us." I nodded in understanding and balin bowed and left me with my uncle. Gandalf had since left the room, in frustration most likely and I found myself faced with a difficult decision. I wanted to see the world but I may pay for it with my life and I didn't wish to live the remainder of my life without the only family I had left which was my uncle. Only one of us could go or neither of us and I knew what my uncle would say.

"Neither of us are going Victoria," He told me still sitting in his chair. "I can't sign it and I can't stop you from signing but I ask that you don't. I insist as your uncle that you don't because I can't see my only niece, the closest thing I have to a daughter, die because of some greedy self-absorbed dwarves."

"Goodnight uncle," I said with the contract still in my hands. I walked to my room and sat on my bed reading through the terms of it. I would be required to find the arkenstone in exchange of one 14th of the treasure and funeral arrangements etc. It seemed fair from what I was reading. I moved to my desk and wet my quill with ink but I couldn't decide whether to sign it or not. My hand hovered over the paper but my mind was in a fuddle.

Before I realised what I had done I had signed my name...

 _Victoria Baggins_


	3. Chapter 3

Hey,

Sorry guys this is not a chapter but ive got a serious case of writer's block and have so far ony managed about 1000 words of the new chapter. I have this idea of a roleplay story through messaging if anyone is interested. I want to focus on dialogue and it would be completely private between myself and the second party. I'm out of ideas for conversations already which I know isn't good but I really want to develop my characters.

So if any of you want to take part in something like this please pm me or leave a review and I will get back to you.

Much love guys

SG


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